


Pretty Baby

by redbirb



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics), Red Robin (Comics), Teen Titans (Comics)
Genre: F/M, Implied Relationships, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 12:42:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13434957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redbirb/pseuds/redbirb
Summary: Tim obtains a new nickname suddenly and he doesn't know if he likes it.





	Pretty Baby

Tim has gained a new nickname. He doesn’t know when it started or by who, just the consistency of it. It’s not that he doesn’t like it, that’s perhaps the problem : he likes it a little too much. It is embarrassing to a degree yet flattering. Tim just doesn’t know what to make of it.

It starts with Dick, which is no real surprise. At least that’s when he notices it for the first time, the nickname being aimed at him personally. Of course it’s while they’re finishing up patrol and on their way back to the cave to put in their reports for the night. They’re playing last minute rooftop tag just for the hell of it, laughing as they flip and jump from one building to another.

He’s just managed to tap Nightwing’s shoulder, effectively winning this round.

“You’re getting faster, pretty baby. I’m so proud!”

It’s… disarming the way Dick says it. It’s full of fondness, the kind that spreads warmth straight through his chest like sunshine on his heart. Tim can’t settle on an expression to make. “Wha… What did you just say?”

“I’m proud of you. All those lessons are paying off. Come on, race you back to the cave.”

It would have seemed innocent if Tim hadn’t caught the twinkle in his companion’s eye.

 

It isn’t until he’s assigned a mission with Jason does he hear it again. Of course the Red Hood is known for his teasing remarks and spontaneous nicknaming antics. Tim has a plethora of other codenames by the former Robin (some nice and some not so nice, but the not nice ones are less frequent and usually avoided until emotional outbursts dredge them back up). So he assumes Jason picked it up from Dick while the two were talking.

“Heads up, pretty baby,” Hood calls out to him as he throws a chemical sample taken from the warehouse holding a new drug. Tim nearly drops the container due to shock. The way Jason says it is so… sultry, something he hadn’t expected.

Tim pockets the sample delicately and clears his throat. “Right. We should get out of here before you get the urge to cause an explosion… again.”

“Explosions are cool. And it’s a warehouse, that’s action movie worthy.”

“No, Hood.”

“No fun, pretty baby. Where’s my excitement?”

Tim can’t stop the tingling sensation he gets the second time he hears it. “Shut up and get on your bike. We need to get these back to Batman.”

 

“Hey, pretty baby.”

Tim nearly spits out his coffee all over his work desk. Oracle’s symbol is on his screen, a friendly takeover stealing his attention away from working a case. “Babs?”

“I need another tech savvy pair of hands, mind looking over something for me?”

“Y-Yeah, sure,” Tim stutters and pulls up another tab to view the sent information. That nickname must be starting to rub off, he shouldn’t be that surprised Babs has picked it up.

 

Red Hood and the Outlaws are in town. Tim is invited out for burgers because he is the only one available with free time on his hands and a sense of humor to deal with the trio. It’s a lot of laughs and jokes, Kori’s stories of her childhood enlightening on the alien princess. Tim is having a lot of fun considering they are a bit older and have been having adventures without him.

“Jaybird was telling me,” Roy says around a bite of burger,” that you two had a cool drug bust the last time he was in Gotham.”

“I didn’t get to explode the warehouse,” Jason complains good-naturedly. “I wasn’t allowed to.”

“Pretty baby ruin your fun?” Roy laughs, wiping at his mouth with a napkin.

And Tim is… unsure if he heard that right. Did Roy just call him it too? How did he even know? Through Jason, probably, but it was still odd. It was silly, really, the whole thing. Yet, Roy’s grin makes Tim feel a little light-headed and flustered. It’s just a silly nickname.

 

Steph and he are play wrestling in the Manor during her visit, Cass looking on with mild interest. She’s got him in a headlock, mocking him playfully the whole time ; she’s always been a poor sport. They’re rolling around on the hardwood floor, it’s starting to make his legs and back hurt when he finally gives into her hold.

“I give, I give.”

Steph turns the headlock into a hug. “Nice try, pretty baby, but I’ve got you right where I want you.”

Tim coughs out a,” What did you just call me?”

“Get used to it,” Steph says, possibly not hearing or flat out ignoring his question. He looks to Cass who is smiling, amused by the display. He decides to also give up on getting a straight answer.

 

The last place he expects it is to be at a team meeting. He’s scolding Bart about needing to be less sporadic and more focused during their missions. They all have things to work on and a new training session is in order by his standards.

Bart acknowledges it with a, “Sure thing, pretty baby.”

Tim freezes, actually godsmacked. Here is not a place the Bats have social access the same way in other places. This is his team, Bart is one of his bestfriends yet here he is listening to the god-forsaken nickname now addressed to him. “Codenames, Impulse.”

He doesn’t quite manage not to sound affected, but tries hard in keeping a straight face. There’s a snicker from Gar and Miguel, the two unable, or rather unafraid, to keep their humor to themselves. It’s now starting to irk him, at least in this context while he’s trying to lead a team.

“Yeah, pretty baby, whatever you say,” Miguel teases.

Tim threatens to put him on trash duty for a month if he doesn’t shut up and listen. He fails to miss Cassie and Raven smiling about it through the rest of the meeting.

 

Kon, of course, his other bestfriend, picks it up immediately. He’s been hovering around Tim every chance he gets and whispering “pretty baby” in his ear and smirking. It’s aggravating as much as it is flustering, spoken in a flirtatious manner in an effort to make him blush.

He pushes a hand at Kon’s face, trying to ward the other away. “Stop it you oaf.”

“Why, pretty baby. Don’t like it?” Tim huffs and turns away, attempting to snatch his hand back when his wrist is caught by Kon who is stronger ; damn Kryptonian strength. He’s pulled closer again, indigo eyes meeting the other’s unearthly blue. “Where you goin’, pretty baby?”

A shiver runs up his spine. “You’re an asshole.”

Kon laughs and let’s him go with a wink. This isn’t going to stop, Tim knows it.

 

Ravager betrays the team, attacking Tim when he is alone. He’s pressed his back up button on the belt, hoping for someone to come and help out as Deathstroke is close by observing. His bo-staff is starting to creak against the constant blows brought on by Rose’s sword. He’s been cut on the cheek and arm, but holding his own for the most part.

“You’re getting slower,” Rose comments and slashes close enough to almost reach his nose. “Poor thing, all alone. No friends around. Just you and me now.”

Tim huffs, twirls the bo-staff for a moment. “If you wanted me alone, there are better ways to do that.”

“Oh, pretty baby,” she cooes and giggles at the twitching of his brow. “Who said I cared about any of that. I got what I wanted in the end, didn’t I?”

They clash again, pushing harder, their hits getting rougher. Rose gets a bit sloppy, swinging too wide, giving him a chance to duck under her arm and get up in her face. He uses an elbow aimed at the gut and turns the fight into his favor now that their weapons are useless in close range combat. She yelps, spitting at the blow and he’s about to knock her out when he’s grabbed from behind, a hand fisted in the collar of his cape.

He’s thrown onto his back, quickly rolling into a crouching position to see Slade helping his daughter. The father looks at him, a one-eyed appraisal. “Not bad, pretty baby,” the tone is mocking,” but we are out of time.”

A smoke bomb is thrown nearly at his face and the two evade capture since he is injured and dazed by the attack. The team come too late to do much, but help with clean up. It’s a cruel blow to the team, however, Tim knows they’ll continue to do what they always have, saving lives and being superheroes even without Ravager by their side.

He’s still mad about the nickname.


End file.
